[ANN] OpenBitASIC : The Open Source Bitcoin ASIC Initiative

[gusti]

We are negotiating with 3 different ASIC's fabs at this moment, we expect to have the figures for a full ASIC implementation anytime soon. Right after that, we will come with an adapted plan to finance it. 

I personally see BFL's announce strategy only designed to make actual competition the highest possible damage.
So I will love to beat them both in price and time to market. 

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[||bit]

We are negotiating with 3 different ASIC's fabs at this moment, we expect to have the figures for a full ASIC implementation anytime soon. Right after that, we will come with an adapted plan to finance it. 

I personally see BFL's announce strategy only designed to make actual competition the highest possible damage.
So I will love to beat them both in price and time to market. 

So, you are referring to a full ASIC, meaning custom ASIC?.... and not a hardcopy?

[rjk]

We are negotiating with 3 different ASIC's fabs at this moment, we expect to have the figures for a full ASIC implementation anytime soon. Right after that, we will come with an adapted plan to finance it. 

I personally see BFL's announce strategy only designed to make actual competition the highest possible damage.
So I will love to beat them both in price and time to market. 

So, you are referring to a full ASIC, meaning custom ASIC?.... and not a hardcopy?

Probably started with hardcopy and decided that for not much more cost to go full custom... just guessing though.

[matthewh3]

We are negotiating with 3 different ASIC's fabs at this moment, we expect to have the figures for a full ASIC implementation anytime soon. Right after that, we will come with an adapted plan to finance it. 

I personally see BFL's announce strategy only designed to make actual competition the highest possible damage.
So I will love to beat them both in price and time to market. 

I think you should follow the method of the Bitcoin(card) Fund - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86083.0 - but also add a GLBSE way to invest.

[P4man]

Using words as "ASIC fabs" scares me a bit TBH.

Anyway, Im guessing they are looking at structured asics / gate array chips, there is no other way to have a reasonable chance of beating BFL to market. Whether a s-asic will turn out to be price/performance/power competitive with BFLs offering will be interesting to see, but I would guess absolutely not; but given the difference between marginal cost and market value, if they are fast enough to market that may not be a deal breaker. Performance after all is just a matter of using more chips, and power consumption will be lots better than FPGAs anyway. It will simply be a matter of shipping high enough volume fast enough, triggering the price war and difficulty explosion we are all so looking forward to .

[gusti]

||bit@ ; rjk@ : exactly, going the full custom path right now

matthewh3@ : many thanks, I will take a look

[nedbert9]

We are negotiating with 3 different ASIC's fabs at this moment, we expect to have the figures for a full ASIC implementation anytime soon. Right after that, we will come with an adapted plan to finance it. 

I personally see BFL's announce strategy only designed to make actual competition the highest possible damage.
So I will love to beat them both in price and time to market. 

I think you should follow the method of the Bitcoin(card) Fund - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86083.0 - but also add a GLBSE way to invest.

I wonder if NRE cost can be sufficiently distributed.  Seems the heavy mining hitters have dumped so much of their cash on BFL (including me to a certain extent).

Though, if price/performance is right, i.e. to avoid severe depreciation, with OpenBitASIC it will be the smart way to go.  Even if one has significant investment in BFL.

I'll look forward to doing my part.

[Serenata]

I really like the Open idea of this project.
I too would like to see devices for smaller-scale miners. Devices priced close to $500, attractive to a wider audience.
Last but not least, I'm in favor of the bitcoiners' direct investment in the project.
A project made from us (open source), supported by us (direct investment), targeted to us (lower cost of ownership).

Watching closely.

[World]

I think you should follow the method of the Bitcoin(card) Fund - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86083.0 - but also add a GLBSE way to invest.

+1

[arsenische]

I think you should follow the method of the Bitcoin(card) Fund - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86083.0 - but also add a GLBSE way to invest.

+1

I don't have much money, but I'd like to buy some GLBSE shares of this venture, please let us know when/if you issue them

[sadpandatech]

I think you should follow the method of the Bitcoin(card) Fund - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86083.0 - but also add a GLBSE way to invest.

+1

I don't have much money, but I'd like to buy some GLBSE shares of this venture, please let us know when/if you issue them

+1

[||bit]

||bit@ ; rjk@ : exactly, going the full custom path right now

matthewh3@ : many thanks, I will take a look

Thanks for the feedback Gusti. BTW: What is your experience and expertise in relation to heading into something like this project?

[DiabloD3]

Subbed, especially after BFL's stunt.

[gusti]

Did you guys see this?

Posted by goxed:

PROASIC FPGA is a compromise between ASIC and FPGA
http://www.actel.com/products/pa3/

Much Lower power consumption than SRAM FPGA.

Axcelerator FPGA can be programmed only once and looks like it's a bit faster than proASIC.
http://www.actel.com/products/axcelerator/default.aspx

IGLOO FPGA can be programmed multiple times because instead of anti-fuse, a flash cell is used. Very low power consumption.
http://www.actel.com/products/iglooseries/default.aspx
 
http://www.actel.com/documents/LPFPGA_FS_PIB.pdf

The largest device has 24,000 Flip Flops, or around 1/10 the size of Spartan6 LX 150

SHA-256 hashing core for proASIC
http://www.actel.com/products/ip/search/detail.aspx?id=627

Any idea what hashing output is expected, and at what cost ? For what I understand, there is no FPGA or s-ASIC that can compete with a full custom ASIC on MH/$ and MH/J. That is the reason we decided to go to full custom way.

[2112]

Any idea what hashing output is expected, and at what cost ?

Don't bother unless you plan on developing a battery-powered Bitcoin device. Actel (now Microsemi) chips are great, but for different application domains. The chips use comparatively low-density processes (220nm,150nm,130nm) optimized for mixed signal and "live-at-power-on" designs. Those are basically almost-digital-but-not-really-digital chips. For example the design flow includes calculations of parasitic capacitance of signal routing networks.

It may be worthwhile for you only as a cheap learning and practice tool before attempting a full-custom ASIC or at least cell-library ASIC design.

[Inspector 2211]

IMHO, Actel has technologically fallen behind the two FPGA market leaders, and Actel's devices, being EEPROM-based, are also more expensive than comparable products from Xilinx and Altera, thus: Nothing to see here, move along.

[gusti]

||bit@ ; rjk@ : exactly, going the full custom path right now

matthewh3@ : many thanks, I will take a look

Thanks for the feedback Gusti. BTW: What is your experience and expertise in relation to heading into something like this project?

5 years experience in mainframe technical support and sales, 10 years in the ISP industry, 8 years in VOIP industry, 1 year in bitcoin mining industry. ;-) Created and managed companies several times, some were succesful, some not.  

[||bit]

||bit@ ; rjk@ : exactly, going the full custom path right now

matthewh3@ : many thanks, I will take a look

Thanks for the feedback Gusti. BTW: What is your experience and expertise in relation to heading into something like this project?

5 years experience in mainframe technical support and sales, 10 years in the ISP industry, 8 years in VOIP industry, 1 year in bitcoin mining industry. ;-) Created and managed companies several times, some were succesful, some not.  

Sounds good. Let's get/keep it rolling. I'm ready to see some serious competition for BFL. They claim availability in October, but as other threads ask: "What does that mean exactly?"

||bit

[Dhomochevsky]

They actually said "LATE October". I'm pretty sure that means AT BEST a November delivery date - that's if everything goes according to plan. Which I'm pretty sure won't. So late November/December wouldn't be too far-fetched as an estimated delivery date.

Also, keep in mind, the specs could be different than what they announced.

[sadpandatech]

They actually said "LATE October". I'm pretty sure that means AT BEST a November delivery date - that's if everything goes according to plan. Which I'm pretty sure won't. So late November/December wouldn't be too far-fetched as an estimated delivery date.

Also, keep in mind, the specs could be different than what they announced.

I would be more inclined to believe it means they will be announcing pre-orders at that time. At this point in time their product exists only on software design. And yea, no way to verify specs until they get their first prototype which will likely be some time clsoe to Oct/Nov.


Gusti, did you get a chance to look at the link that Bulana posted for Easic? http://www.easic.com/press-releases/easic-announces-easicopy-asic/